Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1887-04-28
TINE WclLsMres OF MONTANA.
A hitherto unpublt.h~d Account Of
H.v u Came to be- Organized.
lwm. Iiervon. ia Avant Courier !


living with my partner, Joseph Bell. in the
town III Nevada, following the occupation
81 n miner. About the first Of December,
VIM. Clark came from summit. mt the
head of Alder Gulch. To our camp and
asked me tn accompany him To the stink
ing Water and help him To hunt up Nicholas
Debolt. whom he had sent to Long Johns
ranch, on the Sinking Water for span Of
mules. stating that he was afraid the road
agents had got him. He said he had rid
den Black l'e--, male which hid rid
den from California Gulch in Colorado 10
Alder ''ulch. She was an animal that
thought II great deal of, rs she had saved
my life in Colorado from two Mexican d-s-
pcradocs. and II there is such "a place az
mule heaven ! know she got therc. She
WIS n splendid saddle animal and the road
agents would not hesitate to kill man to
secure her.
Clark also wei t to X. l'eidlcr and asked
him tn go along. but \. was unable to go
and stated II as his opinion that Nick had
been foully dealt with. asked Clark to
come To the cabin and during dinner we
would consider what was best To bc done.
had been in his employ nearly two years
in Colorado. pack king To different mining
camps and portion Of the time merchan-
disins. lie was IA man whom | esteemed
very highly. and coulc not refuse to
company him in search 81 poor Nick, who
was ever AN honest, upright and faithful
man, although would rather have given
$500 than to go. After dinner l
prepared myself with saddle horse and
s'x-shooter, and proposed that We should
take couple oi shot guns, but he said he
th"nght they would he unnecessary as he
had ~ six-shooter which he thought would
u" sufficient. Nothing important trans
pred until we reached Bob Dcmpscys
ranch ON Sinking Water, were We dis
mounted and went IN. Clark inquired oil
Dempsey IL had seen Nick, describing him
and telling his errand. Dempsey said he
had seen nothing 81 him, and told us the
place the mules were kept was three or
'our miles further down the creek. There
were several men and freight teams at
Dempsey's and one Of the party, good
looking young man, well dressed, stepped
up to Clark and said: Don't You think
that Dutchman Of yours has skipped to
Salt Lake and taken the mules with him.
'hrkc'S eyes flashed fire (for it was
none other than the renowned road agent.
.''se i'eS' VINO ma" 'n"S accuse" Nick oil
S "'"'"ee'', anu nv rephFI Ihat
""'en"'"n " an h"hestn'an and some of
you II r""" agents nave Killed him,
anu VIII a'ehse MN.
'''''e' !" urn" "'- siN-sh"oter ANA
."rh WASH any peh'nd INN, when
WHEN! n'''' one al Ives conicderates,
S'ePPen between them ana stopped the
". NUT" ."es were ""'h ROAD
"Se".s' an" ne WON" nave shot had not
'""s"' MS s'x'sho"'er as ne drew II.
"S we s.ar.e" Ior Long Johns ranch,
I've. """ WHISKY Dill mounted their horses
=" .'''' "''ee''""' h"o"e
' .''''' Wv" '''e e'eeN 'ne
'''" 'o"o"e' e'ose 10 the Gank. 'l"rk
s "" 'e'' !" NV ""ce' oil me-
"o' '""'e'","s req an"
."'''' :" "rN !" s'oP' "" investigation
""'"' =" :" HP"' o' o'ooo aoout the
va" "'"''r' =" "''" showed ana
' "'o"'s '"e sue" d" 'ne Ice we
~, u" .,"'ss '"a' WOMB 'cn" Z"
H. ~, ""os' ~. "'"" we ma" see" on
"e ~! =" Tue COZ" embrace
"'' """"'e" y"r"s Instant.
a"er remounting two men rode across
our tr"'i' about three hundred yards in
advance. told Clark we had better keen
I" the right and out of range Of their guns
"s ives and Whisky Bill had gone to Long
'"nil after Their short short shot guns in
'e'"'ng 10 XIII us u we hund Nick.
"" reaeh'ns the ranch Clark went into
Tue "'cky-up or Indian teepce and asked
or "eo. i'ider'nan, tall. gaunt and
awkward human being arose from "a pile
"' blankets and shot guns and said. that
IL my NAME Clark then told him he was
'he owner Oh "a span Of mules which he
th""er'hah) WAS working. lie replied
''"' D"tehi"an came to get them about
week back that he was riding u black
NIUE ana that the last time seen he was
ead'hs tine Two mules about n half IA mile
ABOVE at bend IN the creek.
iiaving learned that Nick got the mules
we started Tor home, stopping at Demp-
sey - "here we again met Ives and Whisky
p"'' 'heir horses being hitched and covered
VII" 'oam' tine dreaded shot guns on the
P""'ne's "i Their sadde's. Ives asked
'ark u ne had found his Dutchnan yet,